ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: patient · face · safe · wake · mate · stock · net · ground

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. face — part of the head
  3. net — in sport
  4. wake — a trail
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. ground — a position
  10. ground — the earth
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. ground — crushed
  13. mate — to breed
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. mate — a friend
  16. stock — shares
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. stock — goods
  19. face — to confront
  20. net — after costs
  21. net — for catching
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. mate — a partner
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com